This fragment of warp-faced compound 2/1 twill, was originally used as a suspension loop for a banner. The pattern, on a dark blue ground, consists of rows of six-petalled rosettes similar to the rosettes in the jin silk fragment dating from the high Tang (early 8thC) found at Astana by Stein (Ast.x.1.06). The rosettes are interspersed with confronting flying birds, holding scrolled leaves in their beaks. A string of jewels hangs between them from their breasts. The pattern repeat is 7.3-7.7 cm in the warp direction.
Patterns of birds holding flowers in a naturalistic style appeared late, but the popularity of warpfaced compound twill did not last for long, so this fragment can probably be dated towards the end of the high Tang.
Weave structures:
Warp: silk, untwisted, dark blue, white, orange, yellow, green and light green, 44 groups/cm; Inner weft: silk, untwisted, single, yellow, 12 lats/cm; Binding weft: silk, untwisted, single, yellow, 12 lats/cm. Weave structure: 2/1Z warp faced compound plain weave.

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